Established Business in Australia visa (subclass 845)

​This visa is closed to new applications except for members of the family unit, if your application is not yet decided.​​

Features

Visa Summary Features

This visa is a permanent residence visa. You will be able to travel in and out of Australia for five years. ​

Requirements

Visa Summary Requirements

You might be able to get this visa if you:

hold a temporary resident visa

have been in Australia as a temporary resident for at least 272 days (approximately nine months) in the 12 months before the date of application

have a proven ownership interest in one or more successful businesses in Australia for at least 18 months immediately before you apply.

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About this visa

The Established Business in Australia visa (subclass 845) closed to new applications on 1 July 2012. You cannot apply for this visa. Information on other business visas is available through the
SkillSelect website.

If you have applied for this visa but no visa decision has yet been made, you can add your spouse, defacto partner or dependent children to your application until the visa is decided.

Your family members must be able to show that they meet
health and
character requirements.​

They might also need to take the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test to show how well they speak, ready and write English.

Health requirements

You must meet certain
health requirements. However, most applicants for this visa will not be required to complete additional health examinations. Do not arrange a health examination until we ask you to.

Character requirements

You must meet certain
character requirements. You must provide a police certificate from each country you have lived in for 12 months or more during the past 10 years after you turned 16 years of age.

Debts to the Australian Government

You must have no outstanding debts to the Australian Government or have arranged to repay any outstanding debts to the Australian Government before this visa can be granted.

Where to lodge your application

Lodge the completed forms and documents in person or by registered post, courier or fax to the
Adelaide office in South Australia - attention Client Services, Adelaide Business Skills Processing Centre.

Include the documents listed in the
Document checklist with the application and pay the visa application charge by credit card, money order or bank cheque.

After you have applied

After you have lodged your application and documents, we will acknowledge that we have received your information.

Wait for a decision

Outside Australia:If you apply for this visa from outside Australia, do not make arrangements to travel to Australia until you are advised in writing that you have been granted a visa. Wait for a decision from us before you leave your job, sell your home or book your travel.

In Australia:If you apply for this visa in Australia, you could be eligible for a Bridging visa that allows you to stay in the country lawfully while your application is processed. If you are given a Bridging visa A, you can apply for a
Bridging visa B (BVB) to travel outside Australia while you wait for a decision.

Provide more information

You can provide more information to us, at any time until a decision is made on the application. If you want to correct information you provided, use:

We could also ask you for more information. You will have to respond by a set date. After that date, we can make a decision about your application using the information that we have.

If another person gives us information that could result in you being refused a visa, we will usually give you the opportunity to comment on the information.

You might also be interviewed. If you are asked to attend an interview in person, bring your passport or other identification and any requested documents to the interview.

Report changes in your circumstances

You must tell us if your circumstances change. This includes a new residential address, a new passport, or a pregnancy, birth, divorce, separation, marriage, de facto relationship or death in your family.

Please report changes in your circumstances via ImmiAccount. If you are not able to use ImmiAccount, you can use the following forms:

Withdrawing your application

​You can withdraw the application at any time before we make a decision about it. To do this, send us a letter or email to ask for the withdrawal. Your request must include your full name and date of birth. You should also include your file reference number, client ID, or a Transaction Reference Number.

​​​All applicants 18 years of age or older, wishing to withdraw, must sign the request for withdrawal.​​​​​​

Visa decision

If the visa is granted, we will let you know:

when you can use the visa

the visa grant number

any conditions attached to the visa.​

If the visa is not granted, we will let you know:

why the visa was refused

your review rights (if any). Where applicable, your sponsor can apply for the decision to be reviewed

the time limit for lodging an appeal.

Document checklist

You need to provide documents to support your application for this visa. We can make a decision using the information you provide when you lodge your application. It is in your interest to provide as much information as possible with your application.

Provide certified copies of original documents. Do not include original documents unless we specifically ask for them. Police certificates should be original documents. Documents not in English must be accompanied by accredited English translations.

Use this checklist to make sure your application is complete.

Forms

Form 47BUApplication for a Business Skills (permanent) visa (585 kB PDF).

For any member of your family unit included in the application who is 18 years of age or older and is not your partner:

Form 47aDetails of child or other dependent family member aged 18 years or over (238 kB PDF).

​

For each member of your family unit (child) included in the application who is 16 years of age or older:

Identity

Certified copies of the biographical pages of the current passports or travel documents of all people included in the application (these are the pages with the holder's photo and personal details and the issue/expiry dates).

Two recent passport-sized photographs (45 mm x 35 mm) of each person included in the application.

These photographs should be of the head and shoulders only against a plain background.

Print the name of the person on the back of each photograph.

If your name has changed or the name of anyone included in your application has changed: a certified copy of evidence of the name change.

Family

Certified copies of birth certificates or the family book showing the names of both parents of all your dependent children.

If any dependent child included in the application is adopted: certified copies of the adoption papers.

If you want to bring a child younger than 18 years of age with you to Australia, and that child’s other parent is not included in the application: documentary evidence that you have the legal right to bring that child to Australia, such as:

certified copies of official legal documents, such as a court-issued parental responsibility (custody), access or guardianship order

If you use Form 1229 or a statutory declaration, you will have to attach a certified copy of the other parent’s government-issued identification document (such as a passport or driver's licence) with their photograph and signature.

Evidence of financial dependency for all your members of the family unit aged 18 or older:

a certified copy of their birth certificate and proof of their relationship to you

proof that they live in your household

proof that they have been financially dependent on you for at least the 12 months immediately before you lodge your application.

Certified copies of marriage certificates or relationship registrations for you and anyone else included in your application, even if they are not joining you in Australia.

If you are living in a de facto relationship: independent evidence that your relationship is genuine and continuing (for example, joint bank account statements, billing accounts in joint names or joint ownership of major assets).

If you or anyone included in the application has been widowed, divorced or permanently separated: a certified copy of the death certificate, divorce documents, or
statutory declaration separation documents.

Character requirements

Police checks for everyone included in the visa application who is 16 years of age or older:

an Australian National Police Check for anyone who has spent a cumulative total of 12 months or more in Australia since turning 16 years of age

police certificates from each country in which anyone in your application has spent a cumulative total of 12 months or more in the past 10 years since turning 16 years of age.

Provide the original certificates and keep a copy for yourself.

If anyone included in the application has served in the armed forces of any country: certified copies of their military service record or discharge papers.

Health requirements

Documents to show you meet Australia’s health requirements:

evidence of a booking or receipt from Bupa Medical Visa Services for your medical and x-ray examinations.

English language proficiency

For each of your dependants aged 18 years or older at the time of invitation, provide one of the following:

if they have functional English: the results of an IELTS test that they each took less than 12 months before you lodge your application

if they have less-than-functional English a statement indicating your intention to pay the second visa application charge.

Visa holders

Workers in Australia – including visa holders with permission to work – have rights under Australian workplace law.

What this visa lets you do

This is a permanent residence visa. It lets you and any member of your family unit who has also been granted this visa:

stay in Australia indefinitely

work and study in Australia

enrol in
Medicare, Australia's scheme for health-related care and expenses

apply for Australian citizenship
(if you are eligible)

sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence

travel to and from Australia for five years from the date the visa is granted (after that time, you will need a resident return visa or another visa to return to Australia).

Your obligations

You and your family must comply with all visa conditions and Australian laws.

You must:

intend to maintain an ownership interest in an eligible business in Australia

keep us informed of your current address for three years

participate in monitoring surveys conducted by the department.

Report changes in circumstances

You must tell us if your circumstances change. This includes a new residential address, a new passport, or a pregnancy, birth, divorce, separation, marriage, de facto relationship or death in your family.

Please report changes in your circumstances via ImmiAccount. If you are not able to use ImmiAccount, you can use the following forms: